Tips for continuing to train on the hardest days

Feeling fatigued and losing the initiative to train may be due to several factors. High temperatures, overwork, personal conflicts or a combination of all these can lead us to feel that a habitual training becomes really hard. The wrong thing in these cases is to let our state leave us out of routines and choose the sofa instead of running to the gym. Traversing these depressions is possible and there are some proven recommendations and techniques that help make practicing any workout feel easier.

1. Perform proper warm-up

Facilitating training with a reliable warm-up prepares muscles and joints for what’s coming. It is recommended to do five minutes of light cardio, run on a treadmill or do jumps, jogs or knees up. It is also important to add some active stretching, for example, lunges. Proper warm-up will also help reduce post-workout pain, making the next one feel easier too.

2. Continue drinking

In times of greatest fatigue, taking a one-minute break and drinking water can be vital and refreshing. It is not necessary to swallow large amounts of H2O, only a few small sips are sufficient to catch the breath and replace some lost fluids. Also, staying well hydrated helps prevent both muscle cramps and muscle fatigue.

3. Take breaks, but briefly

Taking breaks between sets and circuits allows the muscles to recover a bit so that they can continue to work intensely. Anyway, these small “breaks” should be maintained between 30 and 60 seconds. If you rest for too long, the heart rate will start to drop and the body to cool. Also, motivation is very likely to go for a walk in the gym.

4. Concentrate on the breath

When things get difficult, it is always imperative to go back to breathing. This helps to reconnect with the movement and regenerate the oxygen needed to feed the muscles during their work. It is important to accompany the movements with the breathing, to maintain a rhythm and to lighten the force realized. For example, in a curl of biceps, it is recommended to exhale while lifting the weight toward the shoulder, contracting the biceps.

5. Test with coffee

Caffeine before training can provide the extra touch of energy the body needs and improve performance. It is not advisable to drink a full cup of coffee before training, but an American espresso or coffee.

6. Accept the challenge

Sometimes, just by recognizing that an exercise is difficult, it can help the mind and body to prepare for the task in question. For those moments, when things get difficult, it is good to be aware of our own limits, remember our abilities and be able to operate with ingenuity and make the most of our power.

Training with intensity is not always easy and often requires a little more effort and will. It is essential that in those days when routines and exercises require greater dedication and energy, nutrition and hydration are balanced and as healthy as possible. In addition, it is possible to help the body with certain tips such as setting short goals or counting repetitions backward, i.e. 10 to 1.

Listening to our body is very important and tailoring training to its conditions and states helps greatly to improve performance.